Hard to find reasons to see how Hogs take down Notre Dame

Arkansas Razorbacks enter Saturday’s showdown with no momentum after late-game fumbles

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Mike Washington Jr. (4) runs with the ball against the Memphis Tigers during the second half at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There's some buzz from talking heads in the media Arkansas is going to do something big against Notre Dame on Saturday.

Maybe they're right, but the evidence shows that's based more on hope than looking at the accumulation of problems we've seen with the Razorbacks since spring practice started.

There's no evidence this team has the intangibles needed to win a tightly contested game against a talented team. That comes down to discipline and this team doesn't appear to have a lot of it.

The Hogs are not riding into this Notre Dame game on a wave of momentum. The Razorbacks have dropped two straight, and both losses share a painful common denominator with turnovers in the final minutes.

Against Ole Miss, Arkansas was driving late when a forced fumble ended their chances. Then, in a 32–31 heartbreaker at Memphis, Mike Washington Jr. fumbled at the Memphis 7-yard line with 1:22 remaining, and the Tigers recovered to seal the win.

The Hogs couldn't get a key third-down stop against the Tigers against a back-up quarterback who carried nearly 400 pounds of a defender for a first down and end the game.

Two weeks ago, the Razorbacks looked like they might rescue a win versus Ole Miss. But Jalen Brown’s catch turned into a strip by TJ Dottery, recovered by Ole Miss’ Wydett Williams Jr., ending that comeback attempt.

These aren’t minor slip-ups. They’re game-deciding miscues in high-leverage moments. Hogs coach Sam Pittman has put it off the technical errors, but resemble a lack of focus in the fourth quarter.

Momentum in sports isn’t just about wins and losses; it’s about belief and confidence.

Arkansas, after blowing two winnable games, must contend with the psychological cost of self-inflicted damage. The narrative that “nothing can stop them now” doesn’t apply here.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) hands off to running back Jeremiyah Love (4) against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Irish losses tell different story

Now contrast that path with Notre Dame’s early season.

Yes, the Irish sit at 1–2, but their losses came against top-tier opponents in historic reveals of strength. Their schedule tested them early, and their defeats don't carry the same sting of collapse.

Notre Dame played within one score of beating the No. 2 team in the county (Miami) and gave up a last-second touchdown to Texas A&M to lose that game.

That usually sharpens a program. The Hogs' losses were to an Ole Miss team that's playing with a back-up quarterback and a Memphis team that doesn't have the depth of talent Arkansas has.

When you lose to Miami or Texas A&M, you walk away with lessons about speed, depth, situational pressure, and discipline. These are the very elements Arkansas hasn’t fully been exposed to yet and that may matter on Saturday.

If the media and some fans suggest the Razorbacks can “handle” Notre Dame because early match-ups were soft, that reasoning leaves everybody mad if things go bad.

Teams that face tougher tests early tend to have fewer blind spots when real challenges arrive. Arkansas doesn’t have that luxury this week.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green (10) scrambles with the ball against the Memphis Tigers during the second half at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Quarterbacks under pressure

Taylen Green continues to show promise.

In Memphis, he threw for 325 yards and added a rushing score. He's also still making inexplicable throws that get picked off.

His stat line is cushioned by the context of playing against defenses that aren’t elite. He’s made some big plays, but something keeps stopping winning drives.

That’s where Notre Dame’s losses suggest they’ve already done some heavy lifting.

On the flip side, Riley Leonard and the Irish have confronted disruptive defenses and game-deciding front sevens.

Notre Dame’s quarterback room has already been battle-tested in ways Green’s hasn’t. That depth matters when the string is tight late.

Ole Miss Rebels defensive back Nick Cull (29) tackles Arkansas Razorback quarterback Taylen Green (10) during the fourth quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Defense and the trenches

Arkansas’ defense has shown flashes, but its run defense remains unproven. The Razorbacks haven’t faced an offense like Notre Dame’s — one that can grind, pound, and patiently exploit mismatches.

The Irish line brings a physicality that may expose Arkansas’ front seven.

Memphis showed how fragile Arkansas’ grasp can be. Sutton Smith broke a 64-yard run that shifted momentum late.

When the run game opens up, defenses must adjust in real time. Arkansas has looked good when ahead, but when behind, the stress test is entirely different.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s run-blocking and ball-control philosophy make for long, sustained drives. Even if big plays aren’t frequent, time-of-possession and physical attrition could wear on the Razorback defense.

The narrative gap

It’s tempting for some in the media and among fans to see the Irish as vulnerable because they’ve lost two games. But vulnerability is conditional.

A loss to Miami isn’t the same as a blown catch or a lunging fumble. One shows you where you fall short against top competition. The other suggests you may lack execution under pressure.

If Arkansas hopes to surprise Notre Dame, it will have to claw back more than yardage — it must overcome the self-inflicted wounds, the shaken confidence, and a public perception that the Razorbacks’ early schedule gave a false sense of readiness.

This Saturday isn’t just about which team wins — it’s about which team demonstrates stronger composure in the clutch.

On paper, the game might look competitive, but the edge leans toward a team that already survived its biggest tests.

Key takeaways

• Arkansas enters the game cold — two straight losses decided by late-game fumbles have erased any hope of momentum.
• Notre Dame’s losses came against high-caliber opponents, giving them insight into elite competition that Arkansas lacks.
• Execution in critical moments will likely decide this game and the Razorbacks have recently failed that test.